College is most likely the most stressful time of a person’s life, which I have quickly learned. This semester, I’m juggling earning straight A’s in 14 credits’ worth of classes, attaining volunteer hours, running a club, and editing a plethora of newspaper articles. I’m predicting next semester, and the one after that, and the one after that, won’t be any easier.
And most likely, there are plenty of students and faculty members who feel levels of stress similar to mine. All that stress really takes its toll on us: it causes headaches, poor sleep, fatigue, anxiety, and the big one – overeating.
“Stress eating” is the way many people attempt to put the breaks on their busy lives. It seems like indulging into a jar of peanut butter or devouring a box of chocolates will put chronic stress to rest.
However, all of that “indulging” just leads to more stress, hovering around the fact that your favorite pants won’t button anymore. Eating more than you should is a Catch 22 of sorts – you eat because you feel overwhelmed, but the excessive eating and what comes with it becomes one more unnecessary stress to deal with.
For some people, stress eating isn’t an issue. Personally, if I feel stressed out/anxious/nervous/etc., I physically can’t get myself to eat anything. On the contrary, if I’m feeling down or really tired, I will reach for carbohydrates that come in plastic packaging and cardboard boxes – they seem to be a comfort and a “quick fix” source of energy, but just end up turning into stored fat.
Emotional eating is a major issue for most of America, regardless of what feelings food is used to cover up or deal with. In order to avoid developing habits that are lasting and harmful, it’s important to assess why you’re eating and how it’s affecting you.

Feeling stressed increases levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) in the brain, which causes for sweet and salty cravings.
Anxiousness or nervousness makes people “orally fidgety” which leads to nail biting, teeth grinding, and eating.
Other emotions, such as feeling sad or alone, cause cravings for rich foods like chocolate and fatty home-style foods like burgers, fries, and pizza that “fill up” and “comfort” an individual.
(Scientific information derived from stress.about.com.)
Stress management is important for not only physical wellbeing, but for mental health, too. Using a planner for dates and reminders is extremely helpful. Managing your time is key, too; there are only 24 hours in a day, and at least seven of those should be used for sleeping. If you’re not well rested, you’ll reach for those taunting carbs in the form of energy drinks, sodas, and processed snacks for a means of attaining “energy”, and the cycle will continue.

Healthy craving replacements:

For something rich and “filling”, make a fruit and Greek yogurt smoothie. The fruit is sweet and provides carbs for natural energy and the yogurt is packed with protein. Soups are also great “rich” foods because they’re satisfying, comforting, and nutritionally beneficial.
If crunchy is what you crave, try rice cakes topped with fruit butter, spreadable cheese, or peanut butter. Carrots and apples are also extremely crunchy, filling, and healthy options.
Want something sweet? Go for fresh fruits like strawberries, pineapple, or a banana. There’s nothing better than natural sugar.
Need a quick boost of energy? No one said coffee was hands-off. Just try not to add too many “extras” to it, like sugar, cream, and crystallized flavorings.
Essentially, we need to remember to put ourselves on our To-Do lists. Setting aside a little “me” time every week isn’t a bad idea, and it’s not being selfish: if you don’t take care of you, who will? And better yet, who will want to deal with your stressed-out self?